Researchers in a number of European countries and the United States surveyed drivers in their countries to find out if they had used their mobile device while driving. In the race for riskiest driving, which motorists take the cake -- Americans, French, British, German, Portugese, Spanish, Belgian or Dutch?

More than two-thirds of American drivers spoke on their phones while driving in the past month, it said. Portugese drivers came in second at just under 60 percent. Only about 20 percent of British drivers said they spoke on their devices while driving.

The Portugese were the most common texting-while-driving offenders, with 31.3 percent either reading a text or writing one while behind the wheel. But don't gloat, Americans -- we were just a hair behind them at 31.2 percent.

The survey was conducted in 2011, so the hope is when researchers re-do the survey, they'll find those numbers going down.

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ABOUT THE WRITERS

TIM DARRAGH has been reporting and editing the news for 30 years, most of it at The Morning Call. For much of that time, he's been doing award-winning investigative and in-depth reporting projects. Tim created the three-year-long Change of Heart project, and wrote a series on the state's fractured food inspection system that led to widespread improvements in food safety. Meantime, that novice jogger you see plodding along the streets around Bethlehem Township? That would be Tim.